A Panoramic View of Anxiety and Lifestyle in Medical Students: An Updated Review

Abstract

Introduction: Lifestyles encompass the decisions a person makes, simultaneously impacting their quality of life. Especially for those pursuing health-related careers, it can be a particularly demanding and challenging period. They frequently encounter stressful situations that significantly affect their well-being and lifestyle choices. Objective: To determine if there is an association between lifestyle and academic performance in medical students. Methods: The review was conducted through evidence-based literature search for articles published from 2013 to 2023, using search platforms such as Scopus, PubMed, Scielo, BVS, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Results: Out of the 33 articles reviewed, 9 were excluded for not being related to our research variables in the field of health sciences or for not involving a university population. Additionally, 2 articles were removed as they were published before 2013, leaving only 30 articles for this literature review. Among the 30 selected articles, 14 presented research results, while 16 were considered for theoretical and conceptual aspects related to the study's purpose. Conclusion: University students with healthy lifestyles tend to have better academic performance, and it has been observed that mental health plays a significant role. However, the lack of consensus in the findings suggests the need for further research to better understand this complex relationship.